1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a transport mechanism for transporting recording materials stored in a plurality of recording material storage sections to a recording material holder for recording images on the recording materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a recording material transport device for use in an image recording apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-61123 (1993), for example.
A photo sensitive material transport device described in the above publication includes a supply magazine for supplying a photosensitive material serving as a recording material, a transport roller group for transporting the photosensitive material to a subsequent stage, and a guide tube pivotable about a predetermined axis between a position in which an end of the tube is opposed to the supply magazine and a position in which the end of the tube is opposed to the transport roller group. Thus, the transport device is constructed to transport the photosensitive material from the supply magazine toward the transport roller group in a switchback mode.
An image recording apparatus includes a plurality of recording material supplying sections with magazines for the purpose of using plural types of recording materials different in size, for example, and for the purpose of continually supplying a recording material by changing in turn the magazines storing the recording material. These recording material supplying sections usually are arranged vertically with a view to reducing installation space.
Where a transport device pivotable about a predetermined axis as described above is used in an image recording apparatus with recording material supplying sections arranged vertically, a recording material supply angle varies from one recording material supplying section to another. This poses a problem of a destabilized performance in transporting the recording material. A large recording material supply angle tends to cause damage to the recording material. An increased number of transport rollers used to avoid the above inconvenience would complicate the transport mechanism and increase the cost of the apparatus.